Blogger’s Block

by Judy Klipin

I am sitting in my favourite coffee shop, trying to write a blog.

I am up to ‘N’ in my Alphabet Blog Coaching series – a series of blogs that aims to give readers some insight into the concepts and tools I use in my coaching practice.  I thought through what I wanted to say while I was brushing my teeth this morning, and it all seemed perfectly plausible, rather creative and even a bit helpful.

Quite possibly the sound of the toothbrush was scrambling my perception, though, because in the calm of the coffee shop my mojo seems to have deserted me.  My writing is stuttering like an old car on a cold winter’s morning; it just cannot get started.  I have consumed an enormous breakfast, numerous red cappuccinos and enough sparkling water to float a boat.  I have written 845 words, deleted 600 and am less than happy with the remaining 245.

I know from experience that the best thing I can do for myself at a time like this is to step away from the blog and do one of the many other things on my to-do list.

But, still, I sit here waiting to get unblocked.  My inner slave-driver isn’t interested in whether or not the writing is flowing, she just wants the work to be done.  At the same time my inner critic is casting (loud) aspersions on every half-baked phrase that I write.

It isn’t pretty.

I am about to order a piece of wheat-free chocolate cake to grease the creative wheels, when I hear my late mother’s voice.

“If you have nothing useful or interesting to say, confine your comments to the weather,” she used to say, in the manner of a Victorian matriarch.

Today her voice is, as ever, right on the money.

So, before I go and find something else to do, I will tell you all that it is a beautiful, sunny, crisp Autumn day here in Johannesburg; the sky is blue, and the leaves are red and brown and the sun is warm and benevolent.

The blog can wait for another day!

Feeling overwhelmed in your life, work or relationships?

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